This invention relates to systems and methods for modifying communications within a communications network, and, more particularly, to systems and methods for utilizing an application from a portable device within a “non-native” communications network, or in other words, a communications network with which the portable device was not originally intended to communicate.
The complexity of communications systems are ever-increasing due to the increasing number of different types of communications devices and different types of communications networks. For example, portable or wireless devices, wireline and wireless phones, and desktop and portable computers are increasingly used in conjunction on one or more communications networks, each having different standards and protocols, to transfer all different types of information. Such information includes, for example, voice data, audio data and video data. Because of the differences in communications standards and protocols between the various communications networks, a given communication device is typically designed for operation with a specific communications network. For example, a typical wireless phone designed for native operation on a Global System for Mobile (“GSM”) communications network will not be able to communicate on a non-native Code-Division Multiple Access (“CDMA”) communications network. In another example, a typical portable device designed for operation on a native BLUETOOTH™ communications network is not operable on a non-native GSM network. Thus, there is a need to improve the interoperability of the plethora of communications devices with the plethora of communications networks to enable applications to be utilized on both native and non-native communication networks.
Additionally, in some cases, a party receiving or transmitting the information desires the communication to be modified prior to its receipt or transmission. One example of a modified communication is a communication that is encrypted or decrypted by a security application. An encrypted communication is referred to as a secure communication, as only a party having the proper decryption algorithm or key may understand it. For example, a party transmitting sensitive or confidential information may desire to transmit it as a secure communication, such as by scrambling the communication using an encryption algorithm or key. Upon receiving the secure communication and applying the corresponding decryption algorithm or key, one may obtain the original or clear communication. Thus, private and secure communications may be achieved over a variety of public communications networks.
Current solutions for establishing secure communications over public communications networks, such as the public switched telephone network or wireless networks, have a number of drawbacks. Most secure communications products are not portable. Typically, these products comprise desktop units that require a physical interconnection between a wireline phone handset and its base unit, or between the base unit and a wall interface to the public switched telephone network. Depending on whether voice or data communications are to be secured, some products may require the connection to be physically changed. For example, some products require a connection to a computer for secure data communications. This requirement of continuously having to change the connection leads to consumer dissatisfaction because of the continuous need to connect and disconnect the various devices based on the use. Further, these products require security applications to be locally resident within the product. This local residence of the security application exposes the secure aspects of the product to tampering. Further, an item having encryption technology may be considered a Controlled Cryptographic Item (“CCI”). A CCI device is defined as secure telecommunications or information handling equipment, with an associated cryptographic component, that is governed by a special set of control requirements that may add additional cost to an item due to special handling, storage and export restrictions. Additionally, some of these secure communication products are not universally compatible with any type of wireline phone. Finally, most of these products are very expensive.
Thus, improved systems and methods of interoperable communications between devices and networks are desired, along with more flexible systems and methods of modifying a communication relying on a variety of public communications networks.